Solution-phase hexasaccharide synthesis using glucosyl iodides.

[reaction: see text] Oligosaccharides composed of 1,6-glucosyl residues have been prepared from glucosyl iodides. The reactions are highly stereoselective, giving the alpha-glycosides as the only isolated products in yields ranging from 84% to 94%. Oligomer synthesis can take place in an iterative 1 + 1 + 1 fashion or in a convergent manner where dimer iodides serve as donors for higher order acceptors.